10 Hot IT Skills Now

Are your skills in demand? A new report from Foote Partners rates the relative value of skills for technology jobs. The report, IT Skills and Certifications Hot Lists Forecast, covers the first half of 2011. It says employers will spend more for some IT professionals and certifications than others. Using data from a variety of surveys on pay benchmarks and IT spending intention studies, as well as interviews with more than 2,100 employers, it considers 466 skills and certifications; 27 certifications and 37 non-certified IT skills made the list. “This forecast information is critical intelligence for three constituencies,” said David Foote, Foote Partners co-founder and CEO. Employers will know if market value is increasing for skills they plan to acquire, allowing for budget adjustments; vendors selling services can adjust their billing rates; and IT professionals can seek fair compensation. “If you are negotiating salaries or consulting rates, don't undervalue your skills in the marketplace,” Foote said.